Catamenial tampon



July 6, 1954 E. c. BRowN 2,682,875

CATAMENIAL TAMPON Filed June 27, 1952 Patented July 6, 1954 -iUNf-rrao gsrArrEfS J'CATAMENIAL TAMPON ,-Ethel-.- G. Brown, Mission,..Ka:ns.

ApplcatonJJunefZ, 1952 Serial No. 296,016

I6 Claims. -1 "This invention relates tolafcatameniallapplb 1anee^-infthe nature 'of a tampon adapted lfor posi- `tioning 'in :transverse relationship vto fthe vagina orifice .1in 4covering relationship thereto, and

adapted tof'engage the l"foldsof'integurnent-'iorm- 1l ing; the ksaid oriee iWheninvplace sup-ported-` solely by=ti1elabia of- `the vulva.

"It"'is the primaryobject `of the present invention `to vimprove upon lthe rtampon forming 'the subject matter 'of my co-pending application, SerialfNo.T239;-93, nie'dJAugust 2, 11951, 'now U.-S. PatentNo. 2,62938L-thisibeing a continuationin-partlthereof.

flt'is'the mostimportant object of Ythis invention `to :provide y.a tampon yof the 1 aforementioned Vcharacter f that includes an `elongated pad that .is `foldedlongitudinallytopresenta groove in one `face 'thereof and having a `forarninous A.cover @to liniit the extent 0`f its tendency :to unfold, fthe `latter-c'haraeteristic of lthe.pad-serving to render `the-same l=self-adjusting:and therefore, capable of self-conforming fto present a proper ft 'for' its iintentle'dlpurpose,

Another objecthereof Aisto provide .an elongated f pad for use yas a Ltampon :to .be positioned inthe imanner initially -set forth and V.having 'a longitudinal groove that f is-lined :With @a material :that t is 1iiexiole, "yet impervious to the passage io fliquid collectedby the highly.:absorbentzpaddtself.

Another object hereof is to provide acatafmenialappliance Wherein the padthereo isA made Hfronra plurality of superimposedlaminae which, "when.foldedfonthelongitudinaldaxis of the pad, 'presentseithera V-shaped, U-shaped Aoy'corieave groove, the lining of `the groove "beingfheld :in lplace by a oraininouscover that'serves the laddirtional purpose vof 'holding the `*laminae in the fdesired partially folded condition.

'Still fiurther objects of this invention include 'the way in Lwhich Ithe lforazninous cover fmade v 'from any suitableexiblefmaterialhas the ends -thereo'f twiste'dto holdthe-padr'and the liner pin place; lthe i 'way in :which: said fends v extend A.beyond the pad to facilitatehandlingfo'f tthe'app'liance; and -many .more minorobjects,ra1l of :which will be made oIear'as-thefollowing specicationzprolgresses,lreferencebeing'hadz-toithefaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a cross-sectional View through .a catamenial tampon Ina-de 1pursuant :tothe present -in-vention, illustrating the ssame infpositionfcovering'the'vagina orifice.

Fig. A'2 iis 'an enlarged, side-elevational "-vievv "of thetampon partsbeingbrokenawayand in sec-- tionfor clearness. 1

f2 Figi 3f isfanrerilarg-edtransverse :cross-sectional view'takenzonlinemI-elllxof Eig. 2.

Fig. r i4 a 'transverse cross-sectional View .fthroughthetampomand ,throughzthe vulva with 'the,tainponmplacetherewithin and Eig. 5 :'isffan linverted,:perspective View of the catanfienial tampon.

` The fcatam'enial tamponrhereof is broadly designated :by .thernumeral :Hl and includes an '.elongated `pad 11:2, thatis made yup of "a Inumber of superimposed, initially flat, rectangular -laminae "i215 ofbhighlyzabsorbent fr co'tton cellulosic material .orotherfsuitable looselyipacked substance. Thus, pad .-.lz-Z zis substantially rectangular/in'cross-sectionfasehown inFig.:3 of thedrawingprior to partial :folding :thereof .on its .longitudinal axis on a iline fof fold e115 presenting a longitudinal .groove :I 8 .in-...thenorniallyrlowermost face thereof that:isapreferablytarcuate in cross-section,

.Thexpa'd :t2 :isheld: in tsuch:partially folded con- -'dition .by ta foraminous, highly lflexible -covering i213 :that is apreferablysmade :from loosely Woven gauze or siniilartabsoi'bent,material that will not fhinderftheffunctiongof pad :i12 in absorbing nien- .'.strual discharge. `l?heifahricl covering# il is'folded uponitself 'withinztheggroove y|43 fas fshown` in Fig. ".4 soft-he drawing, inrcoveringrelationship toan elongated fliriing 122 .conforming tin shape to, 'and disposed within the groove 4:8, 'the covering `2i) thereby serving the additional Afunction .of -holding thealineri!2:.infplace. The liner r22 is-apprcci- :ably less fabsorbentthannthegpad l2 and to this f'end,;.it .is preferredtthatrthefsameconstitute .ma- -teriaLsotreated as 'to frender the same virtually impervious to massage fo'f :liquid therethrough. :S11-eh .materials .-arereadily available-on the open Amarketcaniliarecommonly employed in this field.

-Cell'ulosiczmatei:ialszaienoartioularly W911-r adapted for treatment to render fthefsarne suitable -for Vprevenming .Aeakage :of .coagulafble discharge.`

-I-I-owever, :the .selection-.of :materials :for pad l2 uandfliner .i2-2, :ortreatment ,thereof toattain the Wide difference in absorptive rqualities thereof, lforms no :part of lthe zpresent invention and may be varied ras idesired. The lining @2-2 .should re- .mainrsoftmnd lexiblefor comfort and avoidance of injury and irritation -when the tampon is By xvii-.tue aof the provision pof :the covering 2d1 it is unnecessary to affix the liner 22 vto the pad ft2'mvithinf'thegroove Hl,fbut:such;joinder may be sertion and removal. The ends 24 are each twisted as at 2G, thereby binding the pad I2 and the liner 22 tightly in place so as to hold the pad I2 against its tendency to unfold.

The concave-convex tampon I is placed in use in the manner illustrated in Figs. l and 4 of the drawing, wherein the female genital organs are clearly illustrated. Vaginal passage or cavity 28 has its orifice 3l] completely covered by the tampon Ill through direct engagement of the latter with the folds of integument forming the orice 30, it being noted in Fig. l of the drawing, that the tampon I0 is disposed in transverse relationship to the orice 30 with the longitudinal axis of the tampon I!) substantially intersecting the longitudinal axis of the vaginal cavity 2B. 1 ,l

It is contemplated that the entire tampon I0, with the exception only of the extremities of ends 24, be enclosed by the external female genital organs and particularly between the labia 32 and 34 of the vulva. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, labia 32-34 completely surround the tampon I0 transversely thereof, thereby holding the tampon I0 in closing relationship to the orifice 3G. Pad I2 is therefore, in a position to receive and absorb the menstrual discharge from cavity 28 and the lining 22 presents an impediment to the escape from the vulva between said labia 32-34 of menstrual discharge collected by pad I2, particularly within opposed pocket-like portions 36 on opposite sides of the lining 22. By virtue of the fact that the pad I2 tends to spring outwardly to its normal initially nat condition, the tampon I0 will engage the inner walls of the labia 32-34 as well as the passage 28 as orice 39 and thereby prevent secretion of the menstrual discharge toward opening 3S between the proximal edges of labia 32-34. The interengagement of the tampon I0 with the inner walls of the vulva, aided by the natural moistness of such walls, serve to cause the tampon to cling thereto and in place, as illustrated.

The extended ends 24 not only facilitate the insertion and removal of the tampon I0, but indicate the necessity of change by virtue of becoming moist and idiscolored through capillary action since the entire covering 2G is in direct engagement with the absorbent material forming the laminae I4 of the pad l2.

Perhaps the most advantageous feature of this invention emanating from the provision of ends 24 is that both of the twisted portions 26 are in effect grasped or held by the labia 32-34 between which such twisted portions 26 are disposed, thereby serving to hold the tampon I0 in place in lthe manner illustrated, notwithstanding various positions the user may assume during utilization thereof.

By virtue of the provision of liner 22, the entire pad I2 will become completely saturated before necessity of change. Liner 22 tends to diffuse the liquid throughout the pad I2 and prevents the tendency of the liquid to channel downwardly through the center of pad I2 where leakage would occur long 4before the entire pad I2 becomes fully saturated.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1

1. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting covering relationship to the vagina orice, said tampon comprising an elongated pad provided with a downwardly-facing, longitudinally straight, transversely V-shaped groove extending longitudinally throughout the length of the pad, and a transversely convex, longitudinally straight uppermost face, uniformly concentric with the longitudinal axis of the pad throughout the length of said face, coextensive in length with the pad, and provided with a pair of opposed, parallel edges merging with the groove; a lining within the groove; and means for holding the lining within the groove, said pad being appreciably more absorbent than the lining.

2. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting covering relationship to the vagina orifice, said tampon comprising an elongated pad provided with a downwardly-facing, longitudinally straight, transversely V- shaped groove extending longitudinally throughout the length of the pad, and a transversely convex, longitudinally straight uppermost face, uniformly concentric with the longitudinal axis of the pad throughout the lengthof said face, coextensive in length with the pad, and provided with a pair of opposed, parallel edges merging with the groove; a lining within the groove; and a flexible, foraminous pad enclosure for holding the lining within the groove, said pad being appreciably more absorbent than the lining.

3. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting covering relationship to the vagina orice, said tampon comprising an elongated pad provided `with a downwardly-facing, longitudinally straight, transversely V- shaped groove extending longitudinally throughout the length of the pad, and a transversely convex, longitudinally straight uppermost face, uniformly concentric with the longitudinal axis of the pad throughout the length of said face, coextensive in length with the pad, and provided with a pair of opposed, parallel edges merging with the groove; a lining within the groove; and a flexible, foraminous pad enclosure for holding the lining within the groove, said enclosure having opposed ends extending outwardly beyond the proximal ends of the pad, said ends being twisted to hold the pad tightly within the enclosure, said pad being appreciably more absorbent than the lining.

4. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting covering relationship to the vagina orifice, said tampon comprising a plurality of identical, superimposed, rectangular laminae, presenting an elongated pad, said pad being provided with a downwardly-facing, longitudinally straight, transversely V-shaped groove extending longitudinally throughout the length of the pad, and a transversely convex, longitudinally straight uppermost face, uniformly concentric with the longitudinal axis of the pad throughout the length of said face, coextensive in length with the pad, and provided with a pair of opposed, parallel edges merging' with: the groove; a lining within the groove; and means for holding the lining within the groove, said pafd being appreciably more absorbent than the lining,

5. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting, covering relationship to lthe vagina orifice, said tampon comprising a plurality of superimposed laminae of loosely packed, highly absorbent material, presenting a` single,

elongated pad having a longitudinal line of fold, presenting a groove coextensive in length therewith and disposed in the normally lowermost face of the pad; means for holding the pad against unfolding; and an imperforate lining within the groove, presenting an impediment to the escape from the vulva between said labia of menstrual discharge collected by said pad.

6. A catamenial tampon adapted for insertion between the labia of the vulva for sole support thereby in intersecting, coveringrelationship to the vagina orice, said tampon comprising a plurality of superimposed laminae of loosely packed, highly absorbent material, presenting a single, elongated pad having a longitudinal line of fold, presenting a groove coextensive in length therewith and disposed in the normally lowermost face of the pad; an imperforate, flexible, Waterproof lining within the groove; and a flexible, foraminous enclosure covering the pad and the lining, said enclosure having opposed ends extending outwardly beyond the proximal ends of the pad, said ends being twisted to hold the lining in the groove, the pad against unfolding, and the laminae against separation.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

